RATIONALE: Realizing that the benefits of the current revolution in biology and oncology would be enhanced by vigorous public support, for the past twenty years, the UCSF Breast Oncology Program (BOP) has implemented comprehensive strategies focused on leveraging advocacy engagements.

Rationale – Background and training in bioinformatics tools is required for the research community at UCSF to remain at the forefront of biomedical research and successfully compete for funding.  Bioinformatics tools help translate our collective molecular understanding of disease into actionable insights and life-improving patient care innovations.

Rationale:Taking findings from basic research to practical applications that enhance human health and well-being is the signification of translational research. Improvement in human health and well-being, however, does not necessarily involve the cure of a disease. Sometimes mere information transfer might help patients substantially in dealing with their medical condition. This is particularly true for patients with family history of yet unknown or contradictory diagnoses – in other words for patients with rare hereditary diseases.

Rationale. Successful recruitment and retention of ethnically diverse research participants in clinical studies depends heavily on the comprehension, needs, and preferences of potential participants.  A critical influence on these outcomes is health literacy, the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions.[i]  Since 30% of US adults have only basic health literacy,